VJ day, 70 years on.

Discussion in 'Veteran Accounts' started by Ron Goldstein, Aug 14, 2015.

  1. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    This, from ny posting on the BBC PEOPLE'S war;

    VJ DAY
    Tuesday 14th August 1945
    I remember the day well even though I’ve long since lost the original diary entry. Our Squadron was in Trieben in Austria at the time, ,controlling the roads leading into Germany and I had just come off the road-block guard in the early afternoon.
    I was changing from my guard uniform into more comfortable gear when I heard the wireless in the next room creating quite a racket.
    I went next door to see what was going on and found myself the only one there.
    I realised that my mates were probably eating dinner in the mess-hall and that they must have been listening earlier and had then left the set on.
    It was VE Day all over again. The announcer back in London was describing the noisy scene as tens of thousands of jubilant servicemen and civilians swarmed the streets. As on VE Day I felt no emotion at all, if anything, I probably felt like a kid who had not been invited to a party and who was now watching the lucky ones coming home with their party bags.

    The short explanation was that the end of the war had come too late for my older brother Jack, G-d rest his soul. On the 11th of May, just three days after VE Day, I had received a letter from home telling me that Jack, who was an Air-Gunner, had been shot down over Nuremberg on the last such raid of the war.
    The loss to his widow, his two young children and to all of our family was as incalculable then as it is today some fifty odd years later and our family was never to be the same again.

    Ron
     
    ritsonvaljos and 4jonboy like this.
  2. ritsonvaljos

    ritsonvaljos Senior Member

    At least it marked the end of a long war for many, including you, Ron.
     
  3. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

    Thought you might like to see some extracts of what Sgt Cyril Grimes wrote in his diary that week. He was at that point in India, preparing for Operation Zipper, and the retaking of Malaya.
    "Friday 10th August : Went to Camp Cinema in evening and on return found pandemonium raging as news of Jap surrender offer had come through on radio.
    Tuesday 14th August : Got it at last. Japs officially accept surrender, and we try to take stock of a world where there is no war.
    Sunday 19th August :Q.M.S Conference as usual giving us bags to think about and act on. Coy. V-party in evening, Wow!
    Monday 20th August: Hope this is the last big move I ever appear in as C.Q.M.S..Tired out and no hope of rest."
    Of course, until they actually landed on Malayan shores they never know if there would be any residual opposition, but the relief must have been immense.
     
  4. zahonado

    zahonado Well-Known Member

    So many didn't come back....not a day of celebration for their families. And the ones that got back were physically and mentally exhausted as Cyril Grimes notes. THanks for posting..also great to have a recollection of the day from one who was there,too .
     

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